How to make a rag swag garland free tutorial

If you have a large stash of fabric scraps, like I do, then here is a great way to utilize them. I hate throwing scraps away because I feel I might need them for something. A few years ago I discovered a way to salvage them and give them new life by making rag swag garlands. Here is how I make them:








Materials needed: Jute twine and scrap fabrics

















Step 1: Cut your scrap fabrics into 1" x 6-8" strips. I like to use a non-uniform length, so cut them all the same length if you want your garland to look more uniform. Make several piles of the different fabrics in the colors you want in your garland.

Step 2: Cut your jute twine the length you desire and allowing an additional few inches at each end.
Tie a knot in the twine about 4 inches from the end.

Step 3: Grab a strip from the first pile and tie it onto the twine at the knot. Grab a strip from the second pile and do the same next to strip 1. Repeat this until the twine is full of tied strips to the last 4 inches of twine. Tie another knot here to end the garland.

Here are some garlands I have made.

 

Example using multiple fabrics.

 

For an additional spin on the garland try tying the fabric onto Christmas light strands instead of the jute twine.

 

I hope you have enjoyed my free tutorial!

The Big Finish!

This week I finished making this beautiful purple, lavender, and white rag quilt. I had several major setbacks getting this custom order finished, but had the most generous and patient customer to work with so I am thankful for that. The biggest setback was that my old sewing machine locked up and I was not able to sew with it. My 30 year old backup machine needs work too, and it slowed me down trying to use it. So I ended up buying a new Juki sewing machine and so glad that I did. I have some big plans now for my sewing future.....but let me get back to this beauty!

 

 

Here are the stacks of minky fabric ready to sew. I used Warm and White quilt batting for the center.

 

I had ordered a few chenille fabrics to blend in (white chenilles are vintage) and here are all the sandwiches with the "X" quilting.



The big finish.....this is a TWIN size quilt on a QUEEN size bed. 

I love how it turned out.

 

 

This is a corner of what the backing looks like.

 

 

More of the back.

 

One side note that I wanted to mention is that I had no idea how heavy this rag quilt would end up. I think know that in the future I will omit the layer of batting in the middle. After clipping this one I had a hard upper body workout shaking the lint off of it outside. The chenille and minky are both fairly heavy by themselves....lesson learned!

 

Thanks for reading my blog.....I am off to sew a Rag Quilted Bible Cover now.